20 March 2022 AM – Romans 8:1-11 – Ro2022 – Scott Childs
Introduction: Dr David Thomason wisely observed. “Romans 6 presents the possibility of victorious living, while Romans 7 presents the human impossibility of victorious Christian living, then Romans 8 presents what happens when God is in the picture! Romans 7 is about ME, while Romans 8 is about the Holy Spirit. God insists that not only do we not add self to the equation, but that self must be subtracted from it!”
In Romans 7, Paul describes the Christian’s frequent struggle with sin. Then in Romans 8, Paul assures us that though we will struggle with temptation and sometimes trip, Christ has paid our condemning sentence in full. There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. Our salvation is secure.
Transition: The divine Trinity assures every true Christian that he or she will face no condemning sentence for his or her sin.
1. GOD promised that our judgment is gone.
a. Therefore, there is no condemnation (v.1)
1) Therefore takes us back to the previous chapter. Because we struggle with sin, the devil is quick to make us question our salvation. Here God counters that charge.
2) He promises us “no condemnation” literally, “not one punishment following sentence.” God assures us that we will face NOT ONE punishment. God can promise us this because Christ paid for our punishment in full. (Rom 5:8) “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (John 3:18) “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (Rom 5:1) “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” (Rom 8:33) “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.“
3) Jesus paid it all, All to Him, I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain – He washed it white as snow. E.M. Hall, GH p.125
b. This promise belongs only to those “in Christ Jesus”.
1) To be in Christ, you must enter a relationship with Christ by placing your trust in Him to save your sinful soul from hell. Jesus Christ said, (John 5:24) “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 1:12) “But as many as received him, [Christ] to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” If you have sincerely trusted Christ and received His forgiveness, you are “in Christ.”
2) Being “in Christ” is a frequent description of New Testament Christians. It enters you into a family relationship with God with many promises. (2Cor 5:17) “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (Eph 2:10) “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (1Thess 4:16) “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:” Cf., 1Co 1:30; 3:1; Eph 1:3; 1Pe 5:14.
3) If you are truly “in Christ”, you will never face condemnation for your sin. Christ has paid the full debt for your past, present, and future sins.
c. Those “in Christ” now walk after the Spirit
1) The phrase “who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit” is a synonym for those “in Christ Jesus”. Sadly, many translations leave out this phrase in v.1.
2) The word “after” is the Greek word kata and means in accordance with. To walk in accordance with is to walk in harmony with or under the influence of another.
3) Those true believers who are “in Christ” no longer walk in accordance with the flesh. They now walk in accordance with the Holy Spirit. This does not mean they are sinless. It means the Holy Spirit indwells them, and they have His enabling to live victoriously.
2. CHRIST paid our judgment to set us free.
a. Christ endured our judgment for us (v.2-3).
1) The law could not save anyone. It only identified sin and condemned us.
2) Because Jesus Christ paid for our judgment in full, He is able to declare us just or righteous, redeem us eternally from hell, and forgive our sins.
a) (Rom 3:24) “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:“
b) (Eph 1:7) “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;“
c) (Titus 2:14) “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.“
d) (Heb 9:12) “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.“
e) (1Pet 1:18-19) “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:“
3) God’s promise based on Christ’s great payment does not give the forgiven sinner a license to sin, but a powerful motivation and strength to flee temptation and resist the devil.
b. Christ promises to forgive when we fail.
1) Romans 7 presents the real struggle every Christian has with sin. At times, we will fail. However, being “in Christ” we do not lose our salvation. We are not condemned by our sin. Sin does cause us to lose our fellowship with God, but it does not rob us of our relationship with God.
2) Knowing the weakness of our flesh, Christ provided for our forgiveness. (1John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“
3. HOLY SPIRIT indwells us and enables us live in victory.
a. He changes us and enables us
1) Those in Christ no longer live after the flesh. They now live after the Spirit (v.1, 4).
2) Those living after the flesh mind the things of the flesh. However, those who live after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit (v.5).
3) Being carnally minded or fleshly minded produces death (v.6). The carnal (fleshly) mind is hostile against God (v.7). It cannot submit to God’s law. However, the Holy Spirit gives us life and peace (v.6).
4) This is why Paul wrote the following to the Galatian believers. (Gal 5:16) “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Gal 5:17) “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Gal 5:25) “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.“
b. He indwells every true believer (v.8-11)
1) Those who live in the flesh cannot please God because they are unbelievers (v.8).
2) True believers are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit (v.9). Every true believer has the indwelling Holy Spirit. We receive Him at the moment of trusting Christ.
3) The Holy Spirit gives us life because of Christ’s applied righteousness (v.10).
4) Because the Spirit of God raised up Jesus from the dead, and He lives in every believer, He will one day resurrect our mortal bodies (v.11).
Conclusion: Read Romans 8:1. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit give those in Christ this precious promise. God sent Christ, and He was condemned in our place. Upon trusting His payment, the Holy Spirit indwells us to lead us to victory as we yield to Him. If you are in Christ, claim these promises and yield to the Spirit. If you are not yet in Christ, humble yourself and trust Christ today.
